Planned Parenthood Advocate

Planned Parenthood: Obama Reelection, Minnesota Triumphs Are ‘Resounding Victory For Women, By Women’

President Obama’s reelection – and the state-level successes in Minnesota – are a historic victory for women’s health, according to the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund (PPMNSAF).

“This is a resounding victory for women – and by women. More than ever before, women’s health was a decisive issue in this election. Minnesotans voted to ensure that women will have access to affordable health care and be able to make their own medical decisions,” said Sarah Stoesz, President of the PPMNSAF.

SCOTUS Upholds the Affordable Care Act: What this Means for Women

In a tremendous victory for all Americans, the Supreme Court upheld the 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA), an act that extends health care coverage and seeks to eliminate the barriers to receiving affordable medical care.  While this ruling will impact the lives of all Americans, it has an especially powerful effect on women’s health care.

Under the current health care system, women can be denied coverage for having had a C-Section, breast cancer, or even for having been sexually assaulted.  The ACA changes this and ensures that insurance companies cannot deny coverage based upon a pre-existing condition. 

Additionally, the ACA ends the practice of charging women more for insurance simply because they are women.  This widespread practice, currently present in 90% of top insurance providers, costs women more than $1 billion dollars annually, with some companies charging women 85% more than their male counterparts.

A Huge Victory for Women!

After a massive outpouring of concern from Planned Parenthood supporters, President Obama has rejected efforts to cut off access to birth control for millions of women! Sign our thank-you card to President Obama.

Today United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius/the Obama administration announced that it will make no changes to the birth control coverage benefit under the Affordable Care Act. This decision is grounded in sound medical science and health policy and protects access to affordable birth control for millions of women, including women who are employed by a religiously affiliated hospital, university, or other religiously affiliated organization that serves the broader public.

Birth control is not just basic health care for women; it is an economic concern. This commonsense decision means that millions of women who would otherwise pay $15 to $50 a month will have access to affordable birth control, helping them save hundreds of dollars each year.

This benefit does not require that anyone dispense or use birth control.  It is simply a benefit that ensures women have adequate health insurance coverage that includes affordable birth control.

This policy represents one of the greatest advancements for women’s health in decades and ensures that millions of women will have access to affordable birth control. Thank you President Obama! Sign our thank-you card today.

Obama’s job plan and women’s health

Last night, President Obama spoke to the Joint Session and to the American people and shared his plan for spurring job growth in the U.S. What does this have to do with women’s health? CEO and President of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota (PPMNS), Sarah Stoesz, explains:
 

“PPMNS’ health clinics are seeing firsthand the costs of today’s economic challenges. Many of our patients are seeking out Planned Parenthood for affordable, essential health services because they simply have nowhere else to turn after being laid off, losing insurance, or failing to find jobs with benefits.

“Women are coming in for critical preventive services, such as breast exams, birth control and Pap tests that cannot be put off, even if they don’t have insurance. “As a trusted provider who has seen one in five American women at some point in her life, we know that creating middle-class jobs will help increase access to health care.

“President Obama’s plan would mean that more women and families will have quality jobs with health insurance, and we hope that Congress will answer his call to act and get our economy moving again.”

Contact: Jen Aulwes, Director of Media Relations, 651.755.9557

Obama administration sending strong message on clinic violence

Whether you agree with the critiques or not, Obama has been getting a lot of flak from all sides of the political spectrum.  But the fact is that on the issue of women’s health, Obama has been doing a lot of great work.  Most recently, the Obama administration  has made protecting abortion clinics from protesters that illegally obstruct access to clinic grounds a priority at the Department of Justice.

Mother Jones reports that while lawmakers continue to attack abortion clinics through legislation that makes abortions incredibly inaccessible, there have also been more violent attacks on clinics.